Michael Fiedel’s Picks
Sidney Outlaw (13-3)
Whenever a lightweight fight falls through in the UFC, the first name on everyone’s minds should be Sidney Outlaw. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, native is one of the country’s top lightweights. In fact, Tapology lists him as the fourth-ranked lightweight on the U.S. regional scene, and the algorithms they employ gave him top honors for the New Jersey, Florida, and U.S. Northeast and Southeast regions.
But, algorithms can be wrong. In this case, though, that doesn’t seem likely. Outlaw turned pro in 2013 after compiling a 5-1 record in the amateur ranks. Since turning pro, Outlaw has fought under some of the regional scene’s most prestigious banners, including CFFC, Ring of Combat, Titan FC, and more. Outlaw has also fought on WSOF, Bellator, and Dana White’s Contender Series, to boot.
Today, Outlaw is riding an eight-fight win streak, during which he has finished five fights – all by way of submission. The fight before Outlaw’s impressive streak was a split-decision loss to highly-touted lightweight and current undefeated UFC standout Gregor Gillespie.
Prior to his unanimous decision win over Titan FC veteran Michael Cora on the Contender Series, Outlaw captured the Ring of Combat lightweight and welterweight titles. Following the Contender Series victory, which did not result in a UFC contract, Outlaw won the Titan FC lightweight title before defending his RoC welterweight strap and winning twice more, once in the Island Fights and once in the CFFC cage, respectively.
Outlaw has proven that he can perform on the sport’s biggest stages, and his record and resume are both massively impressive. The Renzo Gracie Academy product is a tried-and-true submission threat, and he deserves to be in the running to replace Rafael Fiziev against Alex da Silva at UFC Uruguay.
Troy Lamson
Just behind Sidney Outlaw on Tapology’s list of the top regional lightweights in the United States is Michigan’s Troy Lamson. Ranked first in the state of Michigan and third in the U.S. Midwest by Tapology, it’s no secret that Troy Lamson is one of the nation’s top prospects.
Lamson turned pro in 2014 after a 17-0 amateur career and maintained his winning ways at the onset of his pro career. The Michigan native scored six-straight wins before dropping his only two losses back-to-back in 2016.
Since 2016, Lamson has put losing in the rearview mirror. The former Michigan State University wrestler has won seven straight fights, notching four of those by way of finish – two submissions and two TKOs.
In his most recent bout, Lamson defeated fellow top prospect and PFL and LFA veteran Robert Hale by split-decision. With the win, Lamson moved his record to 13-2 as a professional.
As a former NCAA DI wrestler, Lamson already has one of the many bases in mixed martial arts covered. As his record can attest, both his striking and his grappling are coming along quite well. Given his record, his long winning streak, and his credentials, Lamson could be a perfect candidate to fill in on short notice against da Silva on August 10.
